Culinary utensil



CULINARY UTENS IL Filed Augusi'l 50. 1924 Patented J an. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. SANBORN, OF' CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CULINARY UTENSIL.

Application filed August 30, 1924.

'To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. SANBonN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Culinary Utensils, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vessels such. as culinary vessels, and particularly to vessels having inner and outer shells defining a space between the shells.

In the pending application of George It. Fassett, Serial #661,864, tiled September l0, 1923, there is disclosed a vessel having an air space between the inner and outer shells, the space extending across the bottom of the vessel, and up the sides to the rim thereof and having a vent in the outside wall adjacent the rim to permit expansion of the air between the inner and outer shells.

Vessels so constructed have proved themselves particularly efficient for cooking and serving foods requiring but a relatively small amount of heat for cooking and maintaining food either hot or cold because of the insulating jacket, and the object of the present invention is to improve upon the general structure and details of said vessels in the following respects:

lst. The outer shell is spaced from the inner shell for a height approximately half that of the vessel and from this point extends upward to the rim in approximate contact with the inner shell. I have found by tests and experiments that such a construction secures themuch more rapid heating and cooking of the food and that it permits the easier and stronger attachment of the handles to the vessel.

2nd. The placing ofthe vent in the bottom of the vessel, preferably at the middle thereof, prevents the air between the shells escaping as it heats up with a constant introduction of cool air, but on the contrary prevents the escape of hot air except at the point of highest heat. This, I have also found, a great aid in rapid heating up of the vessel and its contents.

3rd. The formation. of the upper portion of the vessel with an outwardly flaring inner face and the provision of a cover with an outwardly and downwardly flaring resilient flange which secures a much better closing engagement with the vessel without jamming the cover on tightly against the Serial No. 735,160.

rim than if the cover flange extends downward and inward, yet which permits the cover to he readily removed.

4th. The provision of means preventing buckling of the outer shell at the bottom of the vessel under heat.

In the drawing, I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, though it is to be understood that the principle of the invention may be applied to a large number of other cooking utensils and that thev principle is not limited to cooking vessels, as it may be also applied to vessels used for keeping food cool or hot.

In the drawing Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a utensil constructed in accordance with my invention Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the rim of the vessel, showing the manner in which it is reinforced; l

Figure 3 is a plan view of the annular spring;

Figure t is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the bottom of the vessel, showing a modified reinforcement therefor.

Referring to this drawing, it will be seen that my improved vessel comprises an outer shell, designated l0, and an inner shell 1l. This inner shell for a distance approxi.- mately equal to half the depth of the vessel from its top to its bottom is in contact with. the outer shell and secured thereto, but about half way down the side wall of the vessel the inner shell is inwardly deflected, as at l2, forming a shoulder, and then extends downward in spaced relation to the outer shell and across the bottom so as to form an air space 13 between the inner and outer shells, this air space being disposed below the bottom of the inner shell and half r up the sides of the inner shell. The omer shell l0 at its bottom may be reinforced by' a transversely extending plate lll of r tively heavy metal spaced from the bottom of the inner shell to form an air space lea, as shown in Figure 4 and in the prior application for patent before referred to, and at the center of this bottom there are formed vent openings l5 extending both through the reinforcing plate and the outer shell and constituting a vent opening for the air space 13.

'While I may use the construction shown in Figure 4, which, as before remarked, is the construction illustrated in the prior application above referred to, on small vessels,

l preferably use the construction shown in Figure l, wherein the outer shell 10 at the bottom is corrugated, as at 19, to thereby u strengthen the bottom at this point and this outer shell at its middle is held away from the inner shell by an annular coil ot stift wire, designated ZO (see Figure This is disposed so as to scat against the inner corrugation i9 and to bear against the bottom of the inner' shell il and thus prevent the lower shell or bottom shell from crowning upward to such an extent as to impede the free motion of the air between the two shells and under some circumstances where too great a degree of heat has been applied to the vessel, crowning up so much as to bear against the inner shell and close oft the vent l5.

The side walls ot the vessel extend upward and outward to a point somewhat below the upper riin ot the vessel, but from this point upward the inner and outer walls et the vessel extend outward at an angle 35 slightly less than the lower portion ot the side wall. The inner viali at the upper portion is reintor'ced by a reinforciiigmember l? which is outwardlv.' Yflanged at its top and the inner wall is carried over the tientje ot this reinforcing` member and oi. -r the riin flange ot the outer wall l0, at 18. l do not Yish to be limited, ho', over, to any particular manner ct cennecti the oiiter wall to the inner l or reir-.torethis part of the vessel, as any construction may be used lor this purpose auch as is illustrated in the application heretofore rciei'red to.

' nds outward to an h of the rim ot the fard and downward, liv extending downv-:ai v ind outnardlj,T .nd contacts with the sli glily portion Il@ ci the rim along` n et the portion 20. its the ce 'ioiccl downward, this outwardly ilarinm Aflange 2O is forced inward, but at no time is the cover intended to be torced home, but only to forced in as the r'elf' siiiency ot this l'ianggge l? grows weaker, which will not occur, l have found in actual ictice for a very long time.

iveted or otherwise attached to the cover is he handle which may be et any usual or suitable form, and the cover is provided with a vent openingY 22 over which is dis- -osed a pivoted valve 23 having` an upward v i'rejecting;` lug; whereby the valve may be shifted to its open or closed position. The only purpose ot this valve is to permit the cook to decide whether or not the heat within the vessel is sufficient 'for cookingV the food. It the heat is too great, then the tire is to be turned down and, of course, it the heat is too low the fire is to be turned up. lt will also permit the escape be generated trom the and in the great major' is turned so as to close the vent.

The ve-el is provided at opposite points en its side walls with handles 2li, these handles having;- shoulders which engage against the outer wall and overturned at their ner ends, as at 2G, so that the inn r ends of these handles practicallv constitute rivets holding' the two thicknesses ot metal constituted by the inner and outer ther thus securing` a relac base tor the hanthe same time the ituted by the handles hold the walls oi. the outer and inner shells in ti t contact with each other to stiften the structure.

lt is tk be understood that in this vesse food is not cooked by steam and 'food is not intende l to be steamed when. cooking; in this vessel. Steam pressure oooh-ers cook in a miniature ste-ain boiler with a steam pressure et trom Vive to thirty pounds. ln the use oi" my improved vessel however7 there is not sui'iicient pre. sure ever generated to litt the cover ott the vessel. Het vapor is generated from the toed before the boiling;

of steam which may toed but ordinarily vez,

vv oi" eases this valve dies tiieinse st rivets con point is reached but this hot vapor is kept in and not let out into the outer air. vapor is approximately at about 1800 to 190O lit the temperature is raised beneath the vessel to a degree that the contents boil7 the steam generated will raise the cover at once7 but this does not secure any letter cooking; and experience tor a number of jfears with vessels constructed with a dead air space, as disclosed in the application heretofore described7 ind iii this present application secure the best cooking); with a scolding vapor at a less temperat .re than 212. Thus many vegetables and fruits can be cooked without breaking up or destroying` the natural fruit colorsY or the structure.

lt might at first seem that as between a vessel having' a dead air space cxtendinf: across the bottom and up to the upper edite oit the vessel and a vessel having' an air space which extends across the bottom and only halt way up the sides of the vessel. the advantage would be in 'favor ot the vessel having* the greatest air space, that is one extendingthe highesty but actual experiment has shown me that this is not the case. A vessel havinethe air jacket extending; about half way up and with a vent in the bottom will cook toed quicker than a vessel having' an air space extending` up to the top. ln the tirst case. the heated air passes out ot the upper vent and there is no circulation established of the heated air. Therefore, more heat is required to operate the former than the latter.

ill() ln constructingl a vessel having a jacket ent-ending only half way up, the saine amount of metal is used but vfith the shorter air jacket and the circulation of heated air efital'ilished with a vent only at the bottoni where the coolest air is ejected by air presv sure, the air jacket is kept hotter with the same amount et heat. Furthermore, the double metal sides above the air jacket act as very ready conductors ot heat to such an extent that the upper.' portion ot' the vessel, with an air jacket extending;` only hall Way up, is hotter with the same heat than in the i ee ot a vessel with the air jacket extending,r to the top, where there is no return of the heated air but an ejection ot `it into the atmosphere. 'lhus I have found that a vessel with a jacket extending half vvay up with a vent in the bottom can be maintained at a cooking temperature when that temperature is reached with less or electricity or with other torni et' heating' means than can a vessel With the air jacket extendinb` all the Way up and a vent at the top. This economy oi heat is a very important matter, particularly in those portions of the country Where the gas is artificial and relatively costly.

lllhere the air jacket extends to the top ot the vessel and there `is an air vent at the top ot the vessel, the heated air is passed from beneath the bottom ot the vessel up- `ivard and outward into the outer air, the space or jacket being' simply in the nature ot a shield or tence holding' the Warm air in as closely as possible to the inner vessel, but it the air vent or port at the upper edge is closed. l have found by experiment, and a port opened in the bottom, the heating oi the vessel is improvedA` for then a circulation ot heated air is established and the aided air which would rreae a pressure were there no vent is allowed to escape at the bottom vent, this air being crowded down 'from the upper portion of the jacket by the hotter air continually rising* trom the heated surface. Thus this bottom vent allows that escape and establishes a circulation et heated air Within the jacket and thus less heat is required to accomplish. a le'iven result. Such a vessel has a heating' surface over the entire bottom and all the surface of .he inner sides of the vessel as against a heating surface of the ordinary vessel on the stove which is limited to the heating` surface ot the vessel immediately over the tire, the rest ot the vessel being` heated by induction or conduction. lith my jacketed vessel, however, having' a vent in the bottom, the u'r is heated first to the very top of the jacket and all around the sides and the betteln, the bottom of the vessel immediately over the vent beine,r theoretically the coolest parto't the entire vessel.

It is not a matter of economical construction to have the air space entend only haltl ivay up the vessel instead oi all the up` as the same amount oit metal is used and there is etten a slightly lgreater amoiu-t olf labor involved.

Comparing two vessels, one with the air jacket all the Way up and the other vfitu the air jacket extending; partiallyv` say onehalt Way up, and each havin ir a vent in the bottom, the heated air rises to the top ot the jacket and beiil torced devrn nnd out by other higher heated air require;I a longer time to make the circuit and cool more in making; the circuit than in the case et the jacket extendingv only halt Way up. The eircuit in the vessel having the hallI jacket bcinej shorter, the return is made quicker and the resulting' heat is greater with the same amount ot heat applied. Furtl'iermore, the conduction oit the heat from the upper part ot' the jacket, where the jacket entends halt way up the vessel, is very rapid, as there are two thicknesses of metal and a small amount oi heated air is admitted between the tivo thicknesses of metal and ascends between the plates or thicknesses, aiding rapid conduction et the heat to the upper edge ot the vessel so that such a vessel arrives at a cookingtemperature sooner than a vessel with the space'all the way up and with a less heat cost.

l intend my improved utensil to be used not only for cookiimY purposes but also -tor evaporating),` purposes, and l have found Vin actual practice that where it is used 'for evaporation as, vfor instance, an evaporatinn' pan, evaporation will take place quicker and better results are accomplished. A vessel constructed in accordance with my invention is adaptable to syrup making, milk evaporating;` and a large number of other evapm'zrtingr processes. The vessel is also particularly adapted for use in candy making,` because et the extreme gentleness ot the cooking; and the uniform heating which secured. `Where the vessel is used. for evaporatinp', it would have exactly the same principle as the i'orm described, except that the shape et the pan would be more suitable it'or evaporatinif purposes and instead oit one vent, inasmuch as the pan would be relatively long); and narrow, there would be a plurality of vents in the bottom.

The utensil is very convenient and very valuable in the cooking; o:-c jellies and preserves because oit the tact that the double walls permit a steady, moderate heat to be maintained. Operated, as the utensil is, with a low llame or relatively small amount of heat, there is no dane'er ot burning or scorching preserves or jellies, and because ot the tact that there is a steady and uniform heat entirely around the utensil, there is no need oi continual stirring.

It will be understood also that my utenl sils not only may be used lor heating 'lood or l'rceping food hot, but that they may be used lor l-:eeping iood cold, cold toed being placed within the vessel, thecover put on, and the heat being' then prevented troni rapid radiation by the insulatingr` air jacket which surrounds the food. Here, again, l have 'ound by actual test tiat a vessel having its jacket extending only halt way up will act to insulate the contents ot the vessel, be these contents hot or cold, much better than a vessel having an air jaclret or space extending' to the top of the vessel.

It is also to be understod that the vent in, the covei or top of the vessel may be used to allow the escape ot vapor when needed to reduce the liquid content. Thus it an article with water, such as dried beans or dried fruit, is being cooked and it seems there is, too much water, instead oit pouring it oil and thus losing` the valuable juices, it the valve to the vent be lett open the cooking continues and the escaping vapor will reduce the water content without waste.

I claim:-

l. 'A vessel ot the character described comprising` an inner shell and an outer shell extending in approximately parallel spaced relation across the bottom of the vessel and approximately halt way up the inner shell to provide an air chamber between the inner and outer shells, the outer shell at the top of the air chamber extending inward into approximate contact with the inner shell, then extending up to the top of the inner shell, and being engaged therewith at the rim of the vessel.

2. A vessel of the character described comprising an inner shell and an outer shell, the outer shell being spaced from the bottom ot' the vessel and -from the sides thereof, said space extending approximately7 halt way up the sides or" the inner shell, the inner shell then extending outward into contact with the outer vessel and upward to the rim and having air-tight engagement with said rim, the outer shell being lormed with a relatively small vent, and handles having stems extending through the walls of the outer and inner shells above the air chamber, thereby holding the walls of the outer and inner shells in tight contact.

3. A vessel of the character described comprising an inner shell and an outer shell, the inner shell being spaced from the outer shell across the entire bottom of the vessel and extending up its sides for a distance approximately half the height of the vessel, the inner shell at this point then extending outward into contact with the outer shell and then extending upward for the Yfull height of the outer shell and being engaged therewith at the top of the vessel, the outward projection of the inner shell midway of the height of the vessel forming a shoulder upon which cooking utensils may be supported.

4. A. vessel of the character described having a smooth 'face on its inner upper margin, and a cover for the vessel having an outwardly projecting rim and a downwardly and outwardly flaring resilient flange, the lower margin of which is adapted to engage with the smooth inner face of the upper margin or" the vessel to thereby secure airtight engagement between the two, the flange impinging against the inner smooth face in any position at an angle to this smooth tace.

5. A vessel of the character described having the upper margin of its side wall slightly upwardly flaring relative to the vertical axis of the vessel, a cover having an outwardly projecting rim adapted to rest upon the top oll Jrhe side wall, and a downwardly and outwardly flaring resilient iiange, the margin ot' which is adapted to contact with the last named portion of the vessel.

6. A utensil of the character described having an inner shell and an outer shell, the inner and outer shells -being spaced from each other at the bottom of the vessel and on the sides to thereby provide an air chamber surrounding` the inner shell, the outer and inner shells having air-tight engagement with each other at the top of said air chamber, the bottom of the outer shell having a vent, and a spacing member disposed between the outer shell and the inner shell and approximately concentric to and relatively adjacent to the vertical axis of the vessel, said spacing member being of such form as to permit the circulation of air through the air chamber and through said vent.

7. A utensil of the character described having an inner shell and an outer shell, the inner and outer shells being spaced from each other at the bottom and on the sides to thereby form an air chamber' surrounding the inner shell, the bottom of the outer shell having a vent, and a spacing member comprising an annular open coil of still" wire disposed between the outer and inner shells and spacing the same apart and disposed concentric to the vent.

8. A utensil of the character described having an inner shell and an outer shell, the inner and outer shells being spaced from each other on the bottom and on the sides to thereby provide an air chamber surrounding the inner shell, the shells having airtight engagement with each other at the top of said air chamber, the bottom of the outer shell approximately at the center thereof having a vent, and a spacing member disposed between the outer shell and the inner shell approximately concentric to the vent and the vertical axis of the vessel and relatively adjacent said vertical axis, said spacing member being formed to permit circulation of air between that portion of the aix Chamber Surrounded by the spacing .meinbe and the poi-tion of the air chemise? eimtei'ioi to the spacing member.

9. A Vessel of the character described comprising an inner sheii sind an outer shell, the outer shell being spaced from the inneishell uol-oss the bottom of the inner shell and up the Sides of the iimer shell :md him/2 ingl aiitighg permanent engagement with 10 he inner eheii'at the iop of the ai' space thus i'oiiried? the outer sheii being formed with :i Vent opening on e ievei beiow the bottom of 'he inner shell.

in testimony Whei'eof i aiiii; my signature.

WILLA J. SANBRN. 

